Game apparatus



INVENTOR Jaf/VA. .VEB/(fs Patented July 7, 1936 UNITED a STATES PATENTOFFICE GAME APPARATUS John A. 'Yerkes',' Beverly Hills, Calif.Application August 27, 1934; Serial No. 741,613

8 Claims.

This invention relates to game apparatus, and particularly pertains to acard table or the like.

In the playing of various games, and especially card games, it isdesirable that all of the players be constantly apprised of the score ofthe game, and the individual tally of the various players. This adds tothe pleasure of playing since there need not be uncertainty in the mindsof the various players as to the scores of the individuals,

and for the further reason that playing is facilitated without makingbothersome inquiries of the score keeper or the other players as to thescore. This is particularly true in connection with the playingofbridge, for example where the rules forbid unnecessary vconversationor remarks by which a partner might indicate the condition of his hand,and from which bidding might be determined, since significant questionsregarding the score can be made which would tend to influence thebidding. It is also evident that in the event the score keeper iscareless in making a proper credit of points to the individ- I ualplayers it is desirable that all of the players may observe the score atall'times so that corrections dcan be made or notations made morelegible, and may be maintained in the constant view of the players forObservation and reference. It is the object of the present inventiontherefore to provide means whereby the score of a game may be kept andindividual tallies marked upon it as made, said device being equippedwith means whereby the score marked by the score ikeeper at one playingposition of the table Vmay be directly visible` to each of the otherplayers at their individual playing positions during and after the actof inscription without interference or obstruction of view, and with thesame legibility as that prevailing at theplaying position of the scorekeeper; 1

Thepresent inventionV contemplates the provision of va scoringdevice,'one embodiment of which may include a game board,` such as acard table, which is equipped with a scoring field at y one playingposition, other playing positions 40 being equipped with Observationfieldsjwithin which an image of thescoring field andb indicia appearingthereon may be observed by the individual players as accomplished byloptical reflection.

I The invention is illustrated by way of example inV the accompanyingdrawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective showing a card table fitted with oneform of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a` view in transverse section taken diagonally of the top ofthe card table as seen on the line '2-2 of Fig. 1, and showing in detailthe scoring field and certain of the refiecting members associatedtherewith.

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective showing the table top removed so thatthe inversion and reversion mirrors may be seen.

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective showing the form of score pad roll whichmay be used in the device. lu.

Fig. 5 is a view in plan indicating the field of the score pad and thepossible utilization of a ground glass upon which the field ispermanently placed.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 15 IO indicates a table tophere shown as having a substantially square plane surface, and as beingsupported by legs ll. Beneath -the table top is a reflecting compartment12 which Will be described more fully hereinafter. Adjacent 20 to onecorner of the table top and formed therethrough is an opening l3 hereshown asrectangular in shape and as being closed by a glass panel l4. Inone form of this invention the glass is clear and transparent. Inanother form of the invention a ground glass member, such as indicatedat 15` in Fig. 5, is used. The glass l4 provides a smooth surface overwhich a score pad`ribbon or strip IB may lie and upon which ribbon agame score may be written or otherwise 30 marked.

The score pad ribbon IG is preferably led around a spool Il, theopposite ends of Which carry trunnion 18 mounted within suitable socketsin the opposite end walls of a spool housing 19. A yieldable springelement 20 acts against one end of the spool or one end of its trunnionsto establish a desired amount of frictional resistance; opposingrotation of the spool except when a 'predetermined longitudinal tensionhas been 40 applied to the score pad ribbon. The spool compartment isprovided with a removable side wall or door 2l by which access may behad to the compartment so that the spools may be removed and finterchanged. The member 21 may be hinged as indicated at 22, and may beprovided with a suitable fastener such as the fastening knob 23.

The portion of the score pad ribbon |6 upon which a. score is to beimmediately marked is drawn upwardly through an opening 24 in the table,and then horizontally across theflat top of the table and the glasspanel I4. This ribbon portion is held in position by a cover plate 25which is hinged to the table at its outer end as Vto the Observationindicated at 26, and which lies fiat upon the upper face of the tableand extends across the glass panel M; Adjacent to the outer end of thecover plate 25 is formed a window 21 whichregisters With the panel M andexposes a complete scoringframe occurring on the ribbon l6. Through thiswindow any desired scoring marks may be afiixed upon the score pad, andsince it is desirable that the score pad ribbon 16 be formed preferablyof translucent paper, or other similar material, it is evident thatlight falling upon the paper Will be projected through the paper and thetransparent panel Eli and into the reflecting compartment 28.

The reflecting compartment is formed With a floor 29 around theperimeter of which are side Walls 30. Within the compartment are mirrorsthe score Vpad and'the in-f' V dicia printed or otherwise, inscribedthereon, may

by Which the image of be projected to points of Observation. This is duetothe provision of Observation Windows,, such asvthose indicated *at 3!and 32whichoccurfin the face of the table top 10.: lThese windows are ofthe same configurationfand substantially the same; size as thetransparent panell previously described. It is preferable thatthesewindowsv shall be disposed midway the length of thesidesV of the table,and while only two such Windows are shown. in the present device, it isunderstood, Vthat for various purposes and as might be required byvarious games, a table may be provided With any number of Observationwindows.

The reflected image of the scoring field, and the score indiciaappearing thereon, is projected windows through aset of reflectingsurfaces or mirrors. ReversingV mirrors 33 and 34 are required andinverting mirrors 35 bon 16, and i-n fact it may be bfa and. 36. Theinverting mirrors are ,disposed in proper angular relation between theObservation windows 3l and 3.2. The reversingmirrors 33 and. 34 aredisposed at intermediate points to establish angles of incidence .andreflectionpl of beams of light. emanating from'the major reflectingmirror 37,V which is disposed, at an appropriate angle beneath thetransparent panel 14. V `It maybe desirable-to employ other scoringmedia or fields than the transluc'ent paper ribdesirable to permanentlyscore and afiix. lines indicating a fieldupon a, glass panelr such forexample Ias the. groundl or frosted glass panel |5 as shown in Fig. 5,in which event ascore may bemarked on the surface of the glass panel i5`and erasedlor washed off after the game has been finished.

In operation' of the present inventionthe table may be constructed asshown in. the drawing Wi'ththe scoring panel in one corner of thefltableand' the twoobservation windows in diagonall'y opposite sid'es of thetable. Attention 'is'directed tothe fact that since thescoring panelispositioned in one cornerof ,the table, it might be used'by' personskeeping score Vwhether V they are right handed or left handed. A beam oflight falling upon the translucent ,scoring ribbon IG, or the groundglass field l5, and emanating from a natural or artificial source, willcausethe scoring field image to be projected on to' thelmajor reflectingpanel 31 where it will Vappear inV an inverted position. Beams w and a:Will then'pass from the major reflecting panel 31 to the reversionpanels 33 and 312 respectively, where they will be reflected asindicatedV at y and z'to the inversion panels 35 and 36 and may beobserved throughthe Observation Windows 3l and 32.` It is evident thatin someinstances it might be descore form other than to apply thetallies thereon as the gameV progresses.

While the invention has been vshown and described as being embodiedwithin the construcf tiqn of a, rame it will be understood that the sameinventive principle might well be embodied Vin other structurescharacterized as having a scoring field. uponv which indicia might beinscribed and'which field and indicia might be simultaneously displayedto the viewV of other players.

" It Will thus be seen that the table here disclosed is simple in:constructiondoes not require the use of any elaborate mechanismoradjustment, leaves the playing board freeA from obstructi'onorthejinconvenience of? obstacles .which might be 'placed thereon, andmakes itpossible to play card games without requiring unnecessaryconversation', while simultaneously providing each properly posted scorecard.

of -theplayers with a.

WhilerI have. shown the preferred form of my invention, asV novv-`knownV to me; it lwill be understoodfthat combination, construction; andarrangementV of parts, by those skilled in ,the art, without departingfrom the spirit of .ther-invention as claimed.

1 Having thus 1 described my invention, What I claimv and desire tosecure byl Letters Patent is;

various changes might be madein the V 1. A cardV table having anupperplane face, a scoring `n'iember..disposedy `adjacent o nef'cornerthereof, a score field observable at anotherplaying position atthe-table',, a nd refiecting means forsimultaneously indicating the scoretally at the scoring'member and the scorefield. A i

- 2. -A- card table comprising a top, a scoring field adjacentloneplaying position, scoringobservation fielda-adjacentV other playingpositions, and reflecting lmeans wherebyV a-tally mark Vin the first.named scoring field-will appear for observation in the various scoringObservation fields. V

3.: A card table comprisinga top,, a scoring field adjacentone playingposition, a scoring observationfieldfadjacentanother playing position,and

Vrefiecting'r means Whereby the refiection of a tally markinscribedinthe'firstfnamed scoring field may beobserved in theV scoring Observationfield duringand afterits inscription.. V

4.` A? card table `comprisin'g aftopya transparentipanel formedV in theltop at one playing positionyand over Which afitranslucent lscore sheetmay be disposed, transparent.. panels at other playing positions, at thetableifand .means for vprojectingth'e Vimagev of the score sheet andindicia', previously-'appearing and being Vinscribed thereon toheobs'erved. through'theother transparent panels; f 3 f -5.1A card tablecomprising a top, a' transparent lpanel formed in 'the .top vatv oneVplaying position ,and-over. which. a translucentscore sheet maybe'disposed,, transparent panels at other playing positions at thetable'andV means for projecting the image ofthescorey sheet. andfindiciapreviously appearing and 'being inscribed thereon to be observedthrough. the 'other ,transparent panels, saidmeans including lightreflecting meman opening formed throughout at one playing position, atranslucent panel covering said opening and upon which a score sheet maybe disposed, openings through the table at other playing positions, andmeans for projecting an image of the score sheet by reflection from thescore sheet opening to points of Observation at each of the second namedopenings.

'7. A device of the character described comprising a table top, anopening formed therethrough adjacent one playing position and covered bya transparent panel, means for disposing a translucent score sheet oversaid panel and through which light may pass downwardly through thepanel, score Observation openings formed at other playing positionsthrough the table top, transparent panels covering the same, reflectingmeans beneath the table top whereby the image projected by the lightrays passing through the score sheet Will be erected in a substantiallynormal position to be observed at each of the panels at the variousplaying positions.

8. A device of the character described comprising a table top, anopening formed therethrough adjacent one playing position and covered bya transparent panel, means for disposing a translucent score sheet oversaid panel and through which light may pass downwardly through thepanel, score Observation openings formed at other playing positionsthrough the table top, transparent panels covering the same, reflectingmeans beneath the table top Whereby the image projected by the lightrays passing through the score sheet will be erected in a substantiallynormal position to be observed at each of the panels at the variousplaying positions, and means providing a continuous strip of playingsheets whereby they may be successively drawn over the panel throughWhich they are projected.

JOHN A. YERKES.

